I Am Guilty [Import]

'Falscher Bekenner' ('I Am Guilty') is a strange little film that seems to beg our indulgence in looking at and pondering the state of mind of our newly graduated college youths who have had everything provided for them to prepare for life - and are clueless as to how to begin fitting into the world. Writer and director Christoph Hochhäusler appears to have a rather bleak look at this generation - or is it the generation that produced the 'new adults' that he is questioning?

Armin Steeb (Constantin von Jascheroff) is a good-looking young fresh college graduate living with his doting parents (Manfred Zapatka and Victoria Trauttmansdorff) who are concerned about Armin's inertia about supporting himself. They assist him in applying for jobs, prepare him for job interviews, and obviously love him and wish for his happiness. Armin is bored: he can barely tolerate the entire family's normalcy, longing for something to light a fire in his life. While walking alone one night he encounters a wrecked automobile containing a dead driver and while he stops to inspect, he soon moves on carrying with him a metal object from the site of the accident. Out of boredom he writes to the police that he is responsible for the accident of what happens to have been the demise of a public official. He takes the found metal object to the police station then leaves without identifying himself.

Armin continues fruitless job interviews but also spends time in front of the glow of his computer monitor having fantasies: we see him defiling public roadside restrooms with graffiti, having bizarre physical liaisons with motorcycle men, and hurtful encounters with love interest contenders. Are these real or are they the products of an unfocused mind that wants more to life than the humdrum day job? Eventually Armin is arrested for his confessed 'crime' - or is he? We are left not knowing how much of what has been on the screen is imagined and what is real.

Christoph Hochhäusler knows his craft: he creates atmospheres that suggest the burring of a mind in flux, he paces his tale well, and he directs a strong cast fluently. While many may view this experimental film with disgust, that may be one of the goals of Hochhäusler. Perhaps he is holding a mirror to the quality of life we have created in the 21st century for our young people who have been raised in an unstructured environment. In retrospect the ennui created here may be a more pointed existentialist statement than we at first recognize. In German with English subtitles. Grady Harp, February 07

This movie is a bit slow paced, but that reflects the mood of the main character who is a suburban boy, unmotivated, disaffected, alienated, and isolated. To fill the void in his life, he frequents a road side bathroom, and has sex with anonymous men. He is looking for a job, but while he would like the money, he really doesn't want to do any of them. However, his clueless parents are so wrapped up in what they think he is and what they want him to be, they fail to see the talents he actually has. Even he fails to see his own talents.

Again, slow moody pace to reflect the mood of the main character. Also, think of this as slice of life, we simply travel with this boy through his life as he has bathroom sex, confesses to crimes he didn't commit, and bows to his parent pressure to look for a job that he doesn't really want. I think, just to fill the emptiness in his life, you may feel otherwise. Slow paced, but sufficient to keep me interested. Since I rented it for 7 day, I watched it twice. An interesting character study.

"I Am Guilty" plods along at a turtle's pace. European cinema often takes more time, focusing on how it tells its story; whereas, American films usually keep the plot developing at a steady clip. Director Christoph Hochhausler wrote and directed this picture which has the distinction of being nominated as best picture at the Bogota Film Festival. Constantin von Jascheroff has worked steadily in German TV. As Armin Steeb, he plays a young man that appears to have graduated from high school with low marks in science & math. His parents have told him that he has to get a job. He fills out the applications and sits lifelessly at job interviews having trouble answering simple questions like "What's your favorite color?" von Jascheroff's Armen appears socially isolated and unable to function well. He is bright and plants a change of clothes outdoors for a reason that was not altogether clear to me. When the subject of the film is boredom, it's hard not to create a boring film that surrounds the topic. Hochhausler punctuates his screenplay with Armin's fantasies of having sex with male motorcycle club members and of committing arson.

Armin's parents seem genuinely concerned for him. Manfred Zapatka who has also done a lot of work on German TV plays the father, but there is little spark that makes him interesting. Victoria Trauttmandorff plays Armin's mother Marianne. She is given a vivacious personality that jokes with Armin and flirts with her husband. However, she too is frozen on the outside. Armin's two brothers flit in and out. One tries to coach him for a job interview and the other's wife is expecting a baby. Despite his fantasy life, Armin is interested Katja Fichtner played by Nora von Waldstatten. He tells her he thinks of her during his private moments. The visual difference between American and European cinema is best reflected in a sequence at a tennis court where Armin & Katja race in Katja's brother's wheelchair. The camera remains stationary without separate setups as Katja & Armin wheel in and out of frame. For seconds, the camera looks at a blank green wall over the tennis net and we hear the kids off camera squealing in delight at their game. von Waldstatten appears to be the only person Armin wishes to impress, which makes the ending perfect. [Spoiler alert] As Armin is being handcuffed and Katja watches, we see him break into a rare smile of satisfaction since he has now achieved notoriety for being bad. However, it is an ending that makes the film add up intellectually, not that it is compelling to watch.

The film may be interesting for viewers who like European cinema. But the main character is purposely played emotionally flat with few levels, other than a tearful funeral of a stranger where Armin cries for an unknown reason. The supporting characters are likewise not memorable. As reality TV, this might be mildly interesting. As a film, it is not gripping. Taxi!